1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing method in a network system to which a plurality of terminals, including an image processing apparatus capable of processing image data, can be connected.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, when reading and transmitting a document image with a facsimile, for example, the setting of a reading mode, designation of the destination (partner), etc. have been executed by complicated key-in operations on a control panel.
For the purpose of making simpler the operation to be performed on the control panel, it is known to store various settings beforehand and to read out a desired one of the settings for use upon request.
There are conventionally known, e.g., the registering functions listed below.
1) Registration of Destination Numbers
This is a function to store a plurality of destination (receiving party) facsimile (FAX) numbers for FAX transmission. Usually, the stored destination FAX numbers are not erased even after a machine power supply is turned off. By registering frequently used destination FAX numbers with the function of registering destination numbers, users can call the desired one of the registered FAX numbers by simple operation and hence are no longer required to enter the individual destination FAX numbers again for each FAX transmission.
2) Registration of Default Transmission Mode
This is a function to set a default transmission mode. The term “default transmission mode” means an initial transmission mode established when the settings in the control panel related to image transmission are reset or cleared. With regard to reading image quality, for example, “standard” or “fine (high image quality)” is designated as a default mode. This default transmission mode information is also not erased even after the machine power supply is turned off.
3) Registration of Cover Page
There is a function to attach a cover page to the head of FAX data in FAX transmission. With this cover page registration, users can register the contents of a cover page. The cover page registered information is also not erased even after the machine power supply is turned off.
However, the conventional facsimile described above has had the following problems.
1) Because the facsimile is employed by a plurality of users in common, the various settings of the destination FAX number registration, etc. each have a limit in number capable of being registered. Accordingly, it often occurs that in spite of desiring to register frequently used destination FAX numbers, every user cannot register all of the destination FAX numbers due to a shortage of the registration area, or it happens that the destination FAX numbers registered by one user are overwritten and erased by another user.
2) The various settings of the destination FAX number registration, etc. are independent for each facsimile. Therefore, the operating process to be made by users on a facsimile A and the operating process to be made by users on a facsimile B may be different even for the same model. This raises the problem that users have to keep in mind the difference in operating process; hence operability is deteriorated. Further, because the setting process, etc. are necessarily different depending on different models of facsimiles, users also have to keep in mind such a difference in operating process as well.
3) To prevent various information from being erased even after the machine power supply is turned off, relatively expensive nonvolatile memories are used in each facsimile to store various setting data. The conventional facsimile cannot therefore store a large amount of setting data, complex image data, etc. from the viewpoint of cost. For that reason, the number of the destination FAX numbers capable of being registered, for example, is limited. In addition, since a complicated cover page includes a large amount of data and needs a nonvolatile memory of large capacity, it has been required to form a cover page with simple images which are less flexible in content.